36ers drop opening American Legion game to Skowhegan, 5-1
36er second baseman Sam Markowitz knocked in the team’s only run June 18 in a 5-1 American Legion Southern Division loss versus Skowhegan. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
36er third baseman Finn Harkins fires a throw across the diamond June 18 in the team’s first game of the 2024 season. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
36er pitcher Liam Jacobs pitched two innings June 18 in relief versus Skowhegan. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
36er second baseman Sam Markowitz knocked in the team’s only run June 18 in a 5-1 American Legion Southern Division loss versus Skowhegan. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
36er third baseman Finn Harkins fires a throw across the diamond June 18 in the team’s first game of the 2024 season. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
36er pitcher Liam Jacobs pitched two innings June 18 in relief versus Skowhegan. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
The Boothbay 36ers faced a tough pitcher in Riverking hurler Silas Tibbetts June 17 as they managed one run on three hits and struck out 13 times in a 5-1 loss to Skowhegan. This is the 36ers’ second season competing in the Maine American Legion Southern Division. The 36ers will play 16 games prior to a double elimination playoff tournament at season’s end.
This year’s team has five Boothbay region players and 13 others from around the Midcoast. In their season opener, Skowhegan scored first with one run in the third. Boothbay tied in the inning’s bottom half. 36er catcher Blade Brann doubled and second baseman Sam Markowitz knocked him in with a single. After that, Boothbay only managed one more single from Brann, as Skowhegan pitching shut them down.
Tibbetts pitched 6.1 innings and threw 104 pitches with 73 for strikes. He walked three. Noah McMahon pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief. He recorded one strikeout. Boothbay left five men on base.
Boothbay had three pitchers. Starter Jacob Watkinson pitched three innings allowing three hits, one earned run, four walks and one strikeout. Bryson Mattox pitched two innings and allowed two runs, two hits, and struck out one. Liam Jacobs pitched two innings and allowed one hit (home run), two walks and struck out four.
Boothbay coach Adam Harkins played all 17 36ers who suited up for the opening game. Harkins expects to insert a more traditional lineup as the season progresses. “We have a deep team,” Harkins said. “There are 10 or 11 who can pitch, and at each position, we go three to four deep. The biggest challenge is keeping everyone interested with enough playing time,” he said.
Markowitz played on last year’s squad and is glad to see so many returning players. “I haven’t seen most of these guys for a year, and it’s great to see them,” he said. “I’m glad to play ball in the summer. Legion is very competitive, and you see a lot of great pitching each night.”
The 36ers were set to travel to Waterville for a game versus Messalonskee on Tuesday, June 18 at Colby College.
